Skyrim : Byseme and Lorde
by SunnysideOfficial
Summary: When Lorde and Byseme’s camp is taken down singlehandedly by an assassin, they are forced to hunt down the man who slaughtered their friends and family. The only downfall? The assassin is a Dovahkiin, and he wants something that he will kill for.


It was the 12th of Evening Star, early on a Fredas morning. The nighttime fire has settled to embers, a weak silvery smoke dancing up toward the morning sky. Sem and Lorde had been staying with the bandits that roamed the western side of Skyrim, far from their usual base in The Rift. There had been a shortage of bandits at Knifepoint Ridge, leaving their leader to send reinforcements that way. Sem and Lorde, along with four others, were the ones sent to assist.

The night before had been long and tiresome, the group venturing north to attack a small band of hunters they'd been watching. It had been quite a success. Sem had gathered enough venison and rabbit meat for the whole camp, and Lorde had taken as much coin as he could carry. Upon returning to the camp, everyone had eaten dinner and drank merrily before heading to bed.

It wasn't until dawn that Sem woke up to a loud noise. At first he thought that the other bandits were smithing something, since Bairee had broken his sword in combat the night before. But after a moment, even in his sleepy state, Sem realized that the clanging metal was from a battle. Lorde, his Nord counterpart, also awoke to the sounds. They both inched toward a hole in the cabin wall, staring out at the scene before them. Bairee and Corba were face down in the dirt, blood pooling beneath them. Above them stood a strange man in all black , his race hidden. He was holding out a long, ebony sword. It's entire length was dripping in fresh blood. From in the near distance came others—Eblin, Ameriedeth, Razir and Lond the Wiser.

In mere seconds, the four of them were flayed in the dirt, resting beside their comrades. Sem couldn't believe his eyes, mouth gaping and eyes wet. Whoever this mysterious man was, he was a valiant and skilled fighter. Sem wanted to go out there and kill him, hands shooting upright, magic swirling about his palms. And then there was a firm grasp around his wrist.

"Don't." Lorde's voice was stern yet hushed, his grasp still.

He maintained a firm grip on Sem, turning to the other side of the cabin to get them both prepared. Sem thrashed slightly, his delicate fingers wiggling, itching to sling spells at the ambiguous figure. Lorde made sure that Sem wouldn't move, snarling at him in silent warning. He didn't even bother dressing in armor. Instead, he grabbed as much coin as he could find, his long sword, and some potions before dragging the Breton out into the woodland.

The area around Knifepoint Ridge was slightly wooded, but mostly grassy plains and cliffsides. It wasn't the ideal place to hide, and Lorde knew that well. The sun hadn't risen quite yet, and the dim pink light would only camouflage the two for so long. Lorde ran toward the first thing he laid eyes on, which happened to be a small cabin just ahead, up within the green trees. He knew that there were people no doubt inside- and that he'd have to kill them. This was a kill or be killed world, or at least it had been that way for Lorde since he was a child. The same went for Sem.

The interior of the cabin was lit by a now dying fire, a warm and smokey scent lingering outside of the cabin. Lorde and Sem approached, cautiously looking behind them and around the cabin for sign of either the mystery murderer or any hunters. Thankfully there was no one, for now at least. But inside, two hunters slept soundly in their bedrolls. Lorde had no sense of stealth, leaving him useless in these situations. Sem smiled at him and pat his large, muscular arm before raising his hands just in front of his face. In a flash, he was invisible. There was a swish in the air followed by a low groan, and then another. Sem flickered back into view, crouching above the second hunter with a violet, spectral dagger in his hand. It quickly faded from his small hand, and he stood upright.

"Shall we take their armor?" The hardly dressed Breton asked.

Lorde nodded and approached, removing the bloodied armors from the hunters. Lorde dressed in the steel armor, while Sem took the fur armor. It would be better than their sleeping clothes, for the time being. A moment of silence followed the sound of clanking armor being pulled on. Lorde's mouth opened to speak, but quickly shut. Sem visibly deflated, head tipping downward.

"All of our friends… they're dead because of that man."

"He must have wanted something."

"Like what, hm? What did we ever do to him?" Sem's voice was cracked and brittle, tears flooding his visible eye. The other, obscured by his dark hair, was no doubt runny as well. He wiped at his face, sniffling. Lorde watched from across the cabin, shifting in place.

"Did you see what Eblin brought home the night before last?"

"No."

"It was… an ornament. Some sort of golden claw-like decoration. Maybe that man was searching for it, it could have belonged to him."

"Then what? Where did Eblin take it?" Sem perked up, looking at Lorde with his one icy blue eye. He squeezed his fists tightly, knuckles white.

"Eblin gave it to Master Nivenne. Said something about a barrow not far from here, just across lake Ilinalta. Nivenne left yesterday to explore the barrow with—"

"Say no more. We're going after her and the claw. I'm sure that's where that man is headed, too. And I'm going to kill him with my own bare hands."


End file.
